Many older adults rely heavily on Social Security, the largest anti-poverty program in the United States, and research shows it was the sole source of income for 28% of adult recipients in 2021.
But not all older adults get Social Security benefits, for reasons such as insufficient or no work history. In 2021, older adults — defined here as those age 65 and over — who were living in poverty were less likely than their counterparts not in poverty to receive income from programs such as Social Security.
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What are the characteristics and living arrangements of these older adults in poverty — and what income sources do they rely on to make ends meet?
A U.S. Census Bureau report published today uses data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation to draw a profile of the 4.7 million older adults who lived in poverty in 2021.
Continue reading to learn more about:
- Older adults living in poverty
- Race and ethnicity
- Living arrangements
- Social Security and old-age safety net programs